Baby swing



April 1943- J. c. ANDEREGG 2,317,243

BABY SWING Filed April 19, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 1943- J. c. ANDEREGG 2,317,243

BABY SWING Filed April 19, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 20, 1943 BABY SWING Joseph G. Anderegg, Algoma, Wis., assignor to Algoma Net Company, Algoma, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application April 19, 1941, Serial No. 389,429

7 Claims. .(Cl. 155-17) This invention relates generally to the class of chairs and seats and pertains particularly to improvements in baby swings.

In the usual baby swing which is designed to be suspended from either a door frame or a portable supporting frame, a number of suspension straps, usually four, are made use of. Two of these straps are customarily attached to the back of the seat or swing and two are attached to the frame of the seat proper adjacent the front thereof and all four straps extend upwardly to a pair or to a single suspension element. In order to maintain these straps spaced apart so that undesirable strain will not be placed upon the body of the swing, there is employed a rectangular spacer which is interposed between the straps to keep them parallel throughout the major portion of the length thereof. Such spacers interfere with the proper use of the swing since it is difficult to lift a child into or out of the swing withuot striking his head against the spacer. Such swings also have the backs thereof perfectly vertical with the back straps extending straight up therefrom to the spacer device. This is an inconvenient feature since it requires the child to sit perfectly upright at all times instead of permitting him to lean back in a more comfortable position.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved baby swing wherein the frame for the swing is designed in a novel man-' ner to provide a back portion which will be constantly maintained at a slightly rearwardly inclined position with respect to the horizontal portion of the frame which suspends the material for the bottom or seat of the swing and in which the suspension straps can converge at their upper ends for connection with suspension elements wiithout collapsing the frame of the swing and without necessitating the employment of rectangular spacers.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a baby swing an improved frame construction for maintaining the seat portion of the swing and the back portion in a prescribed relation, wherein the portion of the frame to which the back of the swing is connected will be held at an upwardly and rearwardly extending angle with respect to the other portion to which the seat is attached, when the swing is suspended, but such back frame portion, while being held against folding forwardly over the seat, can be folded rearwardly and across the under side of the seat and seat frame when the swing is taken down, thus permitting the ready folding and storage of the swing or its easy transportation.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it being understood, however, that the invention is not to be considered as limited by the specific illustration or description but that such illustration and description constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a View in side elevation of an embodiment of a swing constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a View in front elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation of one joint between a side of the frame back and the adjacent bar of the seat portion of the frame.

Fig. 4 is a view in rear elevation of the joint shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of the joint per Fig. 6 is a view in front elevation of a modified embodiment of the invention.

Fig. '7 is a detailed perspective view of the connection between an end of a single spreader bar and the upper end portions of a pair of suspension straps.

Fig. 8 is a View in perspective of an end of the single suspension bar without the straps connected therewith.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a portable frame for the support of the swing structure, this frame being indicated generally by the numeral I and comprising the two substantially U-shaped structures having the side legs 2 and the cross-connecting bars 3, the latter bars being hingedly joined together by a hinge coupling 4 whereby the two inverted U-structures may be folded together into parallel relation. When spread apart, the two structures of the supporting frame are maintained in braced relation by hinged coupling links 5. The elements 4 of the frame are here shown as having depending eye portions 6 with which are connected suspension chains 1 which at their lower ends are coupled to spring units 8 to which the baby swing is attached. In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1, two of these spring units are disposed in spaced relation in the frame since the swing supporting straps are arranged in two pairs, each pair extending upwardly from a side of the swing to be coupled with a unit 8.

In the double suspension shown in Figs. 1 and 2, there are provided at each side of the swing, which is indicated as a whole by the numeral 9, the pair of straps to and l i. Each of the straps I0 is at the front of the swing and each of the straps H is at the rear thereof and these straps converge upwardly and are joined by loops l2, each with a suspension spring unit 8. In Fig. 6, a single suspension is illustrated and indicated by the numeral l3, and in this form of suspension means, the two pairs of straps, each at one unit such as the unit 8 of Figs. 1 and 2, andv in.

both of these constructions the spring units. may either be suspended from a portable; frame as shown, or from any other suitable support such as the head of a door frame or the like.

The front and rear straps of the two pairs shown in Fig. 6 are indicated respectively'by the numerals III and I I and in this arrangement it is preferred that the single spacing bar which extends transversely of the swing well above the same and in the plane of the vertical transverse center, have each end formed into-a square loop I6 with a reverted or inturned center bar I! which is in spaced parallel relation with the outer bars I8; The straps w and II of each pair are threaded through a square loop I6 passing across one side of the center bar I1 and across the remote sides: of the two other bars I8, as shown most clearly in Fig. 7. By this means the spreader bar I4 can be readily shifted and when a weight is applied to the straps, the tendency for the straps to straighten out will cause them to bind firmly against the bars I l-J8 of the loops and thus be securely frictionally held in connection with the bar so that the latter cannot slip from position.

The swing 9 comprises aunitary fabric supporting frame which isindicated generally by the character F. This fabric supporting frame is formed in two portionswhiohare thesubstantially U-shaped back portion I9 and the bottom portion 20. The back portion I9 includes the spaced parallelside bars 2| and a cross-connecting bar 22, while the bottom portion comprises the spaced parallel side bars 23 and a crossconnecting front bar 24. To these two portions I9 and 2 E! of the swing frame are secured the fabric back 25- and the fabric seat bottom 26, these being'joined together to. forma single unit in-the customary manner.

The bottom portion of the swing frame has the'rearends of its two side bars 23 shaped to provide an obliquely directed elongated loop- 21 which includes the two spaced parallel relatively long portions 28 and the short transverse portions 29' and 30, the portion 29 constituting a hinge bar while the portion 3a! constitutes a stop against which the side bar 2-I' of the back portion I9 bears in the manner illustrated in Figs. 3 to 5', when the swing is set up for use. The oblique elongated loop 21- extends downwardly and rearwardly from the bottom portion 2a of the frame, as is clearly-shown in Fig. 1.

Each of' the side bars 2F of the back portion I9 of the seat frame terminates in a" hinge eye 3I' through which a, hinge bar 29 extends and the bar 2! bears against the rearsid'eofthe stop bar 30 and thus is locked or securedag-ai nst forward swinging movement with respect to'the seat portion 20, but, as will be readily seen, the back portion I9 may be swung rearwardly and downwardly and around to the under side of the seat portion when the swing is taken down, so that it maybe folded. g

The suspension straps III and II of Figs. 1 and 2, and Ill I I of Fig. 6, are joined respectively with the forward part of the seat portion 20 of portion I9 thereof. As will be readily seen, with this strap arrangement, the tendency is to pull the two portions of the frame together, but due to the special hinge connection between these portions, the back will be maintained in a desired rearwardly leaning position and cannot collapse on the bottom portion even though the tendency of the suspension straps is to pull the two portions together. Thus with this arrangement. the swing may be suspended either from twosuspension points or from a single suspension point without requiring the use of the customary rectangular spreader frame for holding the suspension. straps apart and for preventing the back of the seat frame being pulled forwardly so as to make the use of: the seat uncomfortable-for achild; In. the two-point suspension no spreading means at all is necessary and in the. singlepoint' suspension, there is only required the single bar for holding the pairsv of straps. againstconvergence directly from their points of connection with the. swing frame. This bar, however, is: l'ocateduponthe transverse center of the swing and, therefore, will not oil'er interference to the putting. ofachild intothe swing or takinghim out o-fjthe same as is: the case with the use of a rectangularspreader frame where the frontside of. such frame is directly above the front: part of the swing.

The numeral 32 generally designates a toy tray: or basket which is supported upon a suitable frame havingsi'de members 33. which are sl idably' joined: to-the side portions) or bars 23 ofthe seat frame so that the receptacle can be moved in and out, as desired.

What is claimed is:

LA swing construction of the character described, comprising a seat and a back, a hinge coupling between the seatand back,,said' coupling includinga, back carried portion and a seat carried portion, a stop forming a part of" one portion and engageable by the other portion, said portion and the stop cooperating when in 'onerelation to maintain. the back in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position with relation to t-he-seat, said portions and stop being arranged to-facilitate swinging the back rearwardly and downward-1y to a foldedposition beneath the seat; a pair of suspensionstraps at each. side-of the-seat, one strap of each pair being connected witnthe front part-of the seat and the other strap of each pair being connected tothe back, and a suspension-means connected with the pairs ofstraps. I 2; A swing construction, comprising a frame consisting of a seat portion and'a" back portion, each: of said: portions including spaced side bars, an interlocking hinge coupling between ends of theside bars of said'jpcrtions, said coupling being so constructed and arranged that the back portion is limited against forward swinging movement beyond a predetermined position in the swing frame and with thetop of the back which'it-ismaintained at an upwardand rearward-inclination with respect to'the seatportion but .is-permi tted reanward and-downward swing} ing movement to a folded position beneath the seat portion, a fabric back and seat bottom se'cure'dto-the frame, and suspending means connectedwith theframe back and seat portions;

3. A swing construction, comprising aframe consisting of aseat portion" and abackportion, each-of said portions including spaced parallel side-bars; a hinge bar connected with each side bar of th'e seat portion to extend transversely thereof in onset reIation w-ith the same, a hinge eye carried by each side bar of the back portion and having pivotal engagement with a hinge bar, means connected with and disposed adjacent to each hinge bar forming a stop for con tact by the adjacent bar of the back portion, said stops limiting movement of the back portion forwardly with respect to the seat portion beyond a position in which the back portion is disposed at a rearward inclination with respect to the seat portion when the latter is horizontal, said eye and bar connection between th back and seat portions facilitating the rearward and downward swinging of the back portion to a folded positionbeneath the seat portion, a back and seat bottom fabric connected with the back and bottom portions of the frame, and means connected with said back and bottom portions for suspending the frame.

4. A swing construction, comprising a frame consisting of a seat portion and a back portion, each of said portions including spaced parallel side bars, a hinge bar connected with each side bar of the seat portion to extend transversely thereof in offset relation with the same, a hinge eye carried by each side bar of the back portion and having pivotal engagement with a hinge bar, means connected with and disposed adjacent to each hinge bar forming a stop for contact by the adjacent bar of the back portion, said stops limiting movement of the back portion forwardly with respect to the seat portion beyond a position in which the back portion is disposed at a rearward inclination with respect to the seat portion when the latter is horizontal, said eye and bar connection between the back and seat portions facilitating the rearward and downward swinging of the back portion to a folded position beneath the seat portion, a back and seat bottom fabric connected with the back and bottom portions of the frame, and means connected with said back and bottom portions for suspending the frame, said hinge bars and stop bars comprising portions of an elongated loop formed as an integral continuation of a side bar of the seat portion, the loops extending obliquely rearwardly and downwardly from the seat portion when the latter is horizontally disposed and the stop bars being at an elevation above the hinge bars.

5. A swing construction of the character described, comprising a seat and a back, a hinge coupling between th seat and the back comprising interconnected units, one of said units including an obliquely directed elongated loop portion and the other of said units including a hinge eye encircling a lower element of said loop portion and an elongated part movable into abutting relation with an upper element of said loop portion to maintain the back against forward movement with respect to the seat beyond a position in which it is disposed at a predetermined rearward inclination to the seat when the latter is horizontal, said back being swingable rearwardly and downwardly about said hinge coupling to a folded position upon the under side of the seat, a pair of straps at each side of the seat, one strap of each pair being connected to the forward portion of the seat and the other strap of each pair being connected to the back, the straps of each pair extending upwardly in convergent relation and being disposed in the vertical front to rear plane of the adjacent side .tion and an elongated part movable into abutting relation with an upper element of said loop portion to maintain the back against forward movement with respect to the seat beyond a position in which it is disposed at a predetermined rearward inclination to the seat when the latter is horizontal, said back being swingable rearwardly and downwardly about said hinge coupling to a folded position upon the under side of the seat, a pair of straps at each side of the seat, one strap of each pair being connected to the forward portion of the seat and the other strap of each pair being connected to the back, the straps of each pair extending upwardly in convergent relation and being disposed in the vertical front to rear plane of the adjacent side of the seat, the points of convergence of the straps of both pairs being substantially upon the transverse vertical center of the seat, a bar member extending across between the pairs of straps and joined thereto at their points of convergence, the pairs of straps converging and being coupled together above said bar upon the transverse center of the bar.

'7. A swing construction of the character de scribed, comprising a seat and a back, a hinge coupling between the seat and the back comprising interconnected units, one of said units including an obliquely directed elongated loop portion and the other of said units including a hinge eye encircling a lower element of said loop portion and an elongated part movable into abutting relation with an upper element of said loop portion to maintain the back against forward movement with respect to the seat beyond a position in which it is disposed at a predetermined rearward inclination to the seat when the latter is horizontal, said back being swingable rearwardly and downwardly about said hinge coupling to a folded position upon the under side of the seat, a pair of straps at each side of the seat, one strap of each pair being connected to the forward portion of the seat and the other strap of each pair being connected to the back, the straps of each pair extending upwardly in convergent relation and being disposed in the vertical front to rear plane of the adjacent side of the seat, the points of convergence of the straps of both pairs being substantially upon the transverse vertical center of the seat, a bar member extending across between the pairs of straps and joined thereto at their points of convergence, the pairs of straps converging and being coupled together above said bar upon the transverse center of the bar, said bar being formed at each end to provide a sliding buckle loop through each of which loops the adjacent pair of straps is slidably extended to be held thereby in the first stated convergent relation.

JOSEPH C. ANDEREGG. 

